COVID-19: Thailand faces risks of overburdened medical system
Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on June 24 affirmed that the country's public health system will not collapse despite the number of hospital beds and health personnel being at critically low levels amid soaring number of new COVID-19 cases
People wait for getting their COVID-19 vaccine shots in Narathiwat, Thailand (Photo: VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) – Thai Deputy Prime Minister andPublic Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on June 24 affirmed that thecountry's public health system will not collapse despite the number of hospitalbeds and health personnel being at critically low levels amid soaring number ofnew COVID-19 cases.
His assurance came after several senior doctors said the COVID-19outbreak situation was critical, with some suggesting the government shouldimpose a lockdown in Bangkok for seven days. Anutin said the proposal was worthlistening to, but it must be weighed up carefully.
According to Somsak Akksilp, director-general of theDepartment of Medical Services, there are only 23 beds at state hospitals leftfor COVID-19 patients suffering severe symptoms.
The situation is expected to worsen if the number of newcases continues to soar at the current rate, the official said.
He said the Public Health Ministry is trying to increase thenumber of beds for patients with less severe symptoms and the 14-day treatmentperiod at hospitals may be changed to 10 days, after which they wouldself-isolate at home. The change means the number of beds will increase by 40 percent.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, as the director of the Centrefor COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), had instructed all agenciesinvolved to help Bangkok and the surrounding provinces to increase the numberof beds, particularly for groups of patients with more severe symptoms.
On June 25, Thailand posted 3,644 new COVID-19 infectionsand 44 deaths, raising the national count and death toll to 236,291 and 1,819,respectively./.
Thailand saw a record 51 COVID-19 fatalities over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 1,774, the country’s Ministry of Public Health announced on June 23.
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This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
People wait for getting their COVID-19 vaccine shots in Narathiwat, Thailand (Photo: VNA) 
